The Office: 60th Anniversary Edition

The loosely autobiographical novel, The Office, Brown's only work of "straight" fiction, was first published in 1958. A pet project of over ten years, it's Brown's most personal, and certainly one of his most moving novels. He completely revised and polished a first draft, unheard of for the prolific author. Unfortunately, because Brown had already established himself as a top-notch mystery and science fiction writer, the novel quickly fell out of print. The past decade has seen a great resurgence in Brown's work; however, fans interested in this unique entry in his bibliography have been turned away by the price of the limited first printing. In October 2018, Makeshift Press made The Office widely available in paperback and ebook with an introduction, newly illustrated cover, list of Brown works currently in print, and an afterword by Brown biographer Jack Seabrook.

About the Author

Fredric Brown (1906-1972) was a writer with the rare distinction of gaining equal renown in two distinct genres: mystery and science fiction. He authored hundreds of short stories and twenty-nine novels, including The Fabulous Clipjoint, The Screaming Mimi, and Martians, Go Home. His work has been adapted for the both the small and big screen, notably the iconic Star Trek episode "Arena." Robert Bloch referred to him as the "O. Henry of Science Fiction", as his short works are known for their surprise, but never kitschy, endings. His mystery tales broke away from the genre's reliance on stock characters, focusing instead on psychologically complex human beings. Mickey Spillane named him his favorite author, and he has influenced such contemporary writers as Neil Gaiman and Stephen King.